Cranks strong but no spark

[Slider]

I assume it's a bad coil, but can it be anything else?

04 Chopper outta warranty, new old style EHC, new battery last year, always on a tender, no fault lights on the ehc, ignition module light flashes as it cranks (i think that's normal), but no spark at the plugs. Ran fine last night but this morning- dead.

The speedo needle cycles fine when I turn on the ignition. Battery cables tight.

Has all the digrease in the right spots.

Any ideas?

 

[chacha]

I assume it's a bad coil, but can it be anything else?

04 Chopper outta warranty, new old style EHC, new battery last year, always on a tender, no fault lights on the ehc, ignition module light flashes as it cranks (i think that's normal), but no spark at the plugs. Ran fine last night but this morning- dead.

The speedo needle cycles fine when I turn on the ignition. Battery cables tight.

Has all the digrease in the right spots.

Any ideas?

Slider-you got all the right bases covered. Yes, the ignition module flashing is normal. The Speedo cycling correctly only means it has power to do its self check => no impact on the startup.

What method did you use to verify there is no spark? have you checked the resistance across the coil with a meter?

 

[Nomad2day]

Does the 04 have a crank positon sensor?
If so and it is bad, it will not fire the coil due to not knowing when too.

 

[alhall88]

04 model has a cam sensor. Has to be the coil or a connection from the ignition module to the coils. I would remove the cowbell and check the connections first.

 

[ohio dog]

I chased similar problems on my 04'. Mine would start one day, after a short ride would not....wait a bit and it would start. It actually happened a couple times at bike week....once in front of Cycle City's tent by Iron Gate. They went to look at it (sat about an 1.5 hours waiting) and it started up. The next day went to hard rock park....same thing.

What did I do? Took a small piece of wire and grounded the ignition module....still crank no start. Then I tried running 12volts from battery to red wire on ign module....fired right up. I did this on the 3 pin harness coming off module. I just stripped and wrapped the wire...yes I had tape and tools with me. I'm thinking the 12volt out of my ehc is bad, but at least it got me down the road, and I can rule out the module......and yes I replaced my cam sensor too.....no fix.

good luck!

 

[Slider]

Busy this week but will remove the coil cover and check connections this weekend.

I check spark at the plug the old fashioned way- removed from the jug, grounded it, and cranked it.

Keep you posted.

 

[Slider]

OK it's fixed, AlHall got it. Remember the click, click, click thread for the starter where the solenoid contacts where full of carbon? well, that's what the inside of my female connectors looked like in my coil- one was freakin black the other half black. Cleaned them up, bang, fired right up.

Anybody digrease the spark plug wires in the coil? Last time tried a few years ago, one kept slipping out of the coil, even after I tried to bend open the male end of the spark plug wire to tighten up the fit.

 

[lee]

yeah someone else did that (can't remember who) and had the same result

 

[alhall88]

The dielectric grease works fine but the secret is to try and not get any on the rubber boot. I always use a Q-tip when I apply the grease the center contact.

 

[Slider]

The dielectric grease works fine but the secret is to try and not get any on the rubber boot. I always use a Q-tip when I apply the grease the center contact.

That's the ticket. Thanks Al.